THX-1138 meets video games

Rating: 6/10 (14 August 2005)

'The Island' is a typical summertime movie - lots of action, very well filmed by the way, based on a science-fiction idea. The problem is that the premises are very good, so the limitation that director Michael Bay placed on himself really make you feel sorry that he did not aim higher. The first half hour looks very much in staging and idea to the early Lucas film THX-1138, all at bigger scale, of course. So that when this anti-orwellian theme is transformed in yet another car races and urban landscape destroying feast, you start feeling that this film could have been better, maybe getting close to 'Matrix' or 'Blade Runner'. Scarlett Johansson and Ewan McGregor do a good job in the leading roles, and overall it is a satisfying summer entertainment movie that could have been more.